The Search for a Heart
by InfiniteBurn
Summary: I never thought this would happen to me. I now have a Keyblade, which I use to defend worlds I am only beginning to understand. My name is Ulquiorra Schiffer, and I am beginning to understand what it means to have a heart.
1. Chapter 1: Keys, Bats, and Caretakers

Okay, I'm gonna be honest – I've loved Kingdom Hearts since I was in elementary school. I got into Bleach my freshman year of high school. One day, this story popped into my head. I never had the time to write it down… until now. Hope you enjoy!

**Kingdom Hearts: the Search for a Heart**

I shouldn't be alive.

I was fighting Ichigo Kurosaki, who had somehow Hollowfied completely. He had used an unimaginably powerful cero to blast the lower portion of my body away. I dealt what I had thought was a death blow, but all it did was revert Ichigo to his original human state.

Hmph… it seems even I cannot know everything.

I had faded away to nothingness, and I thought that was that. It seems, though, that some unknown force has plans for me. I am now in a room bathed in a soft, blue light. It almost reminded me of the way light looks at the bottom of one of those human's pools. There were no walls… or if there were, I couldn't see them, thanks to the darkness on every side. Only one thing besides me is in this room. It's a strange contraption – mirrors in the shape of teardrops, all connected via white piping. In each mirror, different images were playing like videos. One had a boy in green tights flying around, occasionally taking stabs at a pirate in red with a hook replacing a hand. Another image showed a skeleton fighting… was that a giant sack?

"The Eyes of the Kingdom," a familiar voice said. "It's my way of monitoring all the worlds."

Turning around, I got another unexpected sight. It was Orihime Inoue, the woman who Ichigo Kurosaki fought so hard to save. She was… different, though. Not only were the clothes that I gave her oh-so-long ago intact, she moved differently than before. Before, her movements conveyed compassion, youth, and boundless energy. Now she moved with wisdom that only centuries worth of living could bring, mixed in with something else I couldn't identify.

"Why did you bring me here, woman?" I asked, my voice carrying no emotion whatsoever. Just like it always does.

"I'm not Orihime," she answered.

Now, as a rule, Hollows don't feel any positive emotions. We lose that part of ourselves the longer we stay away from the Soul Society. Due to the circumstances of my creation, I couldn't feel anything. My heart was, in every sense of the word, gone. That fact is the only reason why I'm not in shock right now.

"Then who are you?" I asked, hoping to learn more. One of my habits is to analyze any situation and get information.

"I'm known by many names," the woman who looked like Orihime replied. "Only one name, though, is pronounceable in this language. I am called… the Caretaker."

"The Caretaker… of what?"

"I protect the heart of all worlds, known as Kingdom Hearts. Or at least… I _used_ to protect it."

"What happened?"

"The Heartless happened," she replied. "I may be powerful, but I can't be everywhere at once. To combat this threat, I forged the one thing that can combat those things."

In a flash, I drew my sword and held it against her neck. "This _drag-it-out-of-me-line-by-line_ routine is starting to become tedious," I said. "So stop before I slit your throat."

I never saw it coming. One minute, I was standing on my feet. The next, I was on the ground in a small crater. The Caretaker was on top of me, holding my sword in her hands. She didn't appear angry at all. In fact, she almost looked bored.

"I thought you had more self-control than that, Ulquiorra Schiffer," the Caretaker sighed. She held the sword out in the air, where it actually started to hover. "You are right, though – I was wasting too much time, so I'll just get straight to the point."

A white light, brighter than the light illuminating the room, started to shine on me from above. And from the darkness, there came a weapon the likes of which I have never seen before.

Its shape reminded me of a key, but it was big – its length matched that of my sword. It was black all throughout, with green lines making a spider-web pattern along the shaft. A square handle the size of my head acted as the handle, hollow except for a single bar running through the center. A small chain about two inches long dangled from the handle, and attached to it was a piece of green metal in the shape of a bat.

"This is called a Keyblade," the Caretaker said. "I forged it and gave it to people with pure hearts to combat the Heartless. That's when things started getting complicated. A Keyblade Master who called himself Xehanort was corrupted and killed anyone with a Keyblade. A boy, Sora, managed to wield a Keyblade recently, but he is now in a deep sleep."

"I see no reason where I am in involved in this, Caretaker," I said, getting up and dusting myself off.

The Keyblade that was hovering in front of me disappeared in a small flash of white light. It reappeared in my right hand. While I was busy staring at it, I felt the Caretaker place my sword in my left hand.

"Ichigo defeated Aizen," the Caretaker said. It took me a few moments to process that. How could that piece of trash, who barely survived fighting me, the fifth strongest Espada (fourth, if you're not counting when Yammy isn't in Resurreción), beat a man who was many times my stronger?

"Ichigo lost all his powers during the fight. Aizen has retained his immortality, but that isn't what should concern you. What should concern you is the Hogyoku."

"That shouldn't be too dangerous here. The Hogyoku can only eliminate the barriers between a Hollow and a Soul Reaper. I doubt that should be much of a problem here."

"Ulquiorra, you've been lied to. The Hogyoku's true power is to grant the wishes in its host's heart. Now, don't interrupt me. During the fight between Ichigo and Aizen, the Hogyoku abandoned Aizen in the hopes of finding someone stronger than him. It is now here, searching the worlds for a new master."

The Caretaker looked me in the eyes, and I couldn't look away. "This is what I task you with, Ulquiorra Schiffer. Find the Hogyoku, and repair the damage to the worlds it visits."

"No."

"Excuse me?" the Caretaker asked in a dangerously low voice.

"I have no interest in taking part of your little war with these Heartless. I have my own mission to pursue."

The Caretaker started smiling slyly. "Ah, you're interested in finding out what it means to have a heart? Well, I can help you out with that. Do this for me, and I will grant you your own heart."

"You can do that?" I asked, uncertainty in my voice. It wasn't that I was uncertain she would do it – I just wondered if she had the power to do as she says.

"You can't be the Caretaker if you don't pick up a few tricks along the way," she replied. "So, I will ask again – will you take this duty, Ulquiorra Schiffer?"

I thought long and hard for a full three minutes. Ever since my fight with Ichigo Kurosaki, I have taken an interest in the heart. And here I am, offered a chance to have my very own heart.

"I accept."

"Excellent. Now, let's begin your training."

**That ends this chapter. Feel free to review! I won't be mad if you guys say it needs work!**


	2. Chapter 2: Training

Guh, hate the amount of homework that my professors are giving me. Oh well, at least I have time for this. Hope you guys enjoy!

**Chapter 2 – Mission in Dark**

"What are my targets this time?" I asked, ready for today's lesson.

I have been training for a couple of weeks now. So far, I've learned how to use the Keyblade to be far more agile than I was, and how to use light as a weapon against darkness. What came as a surprise to me, though, was that I retained all my abilities as an Arrancar and as an Espada. I even retained my ability to use my second release form.

That last one came with a warning from the Caretaker. _If you use your Resurrección Segunda Etapa_, she said, _you'll never be able to gain a heart, even if you consult with beings more powerful than I_.

That's… annoying. I'll just have to hope that my Keyblade makes up for that shortcoming.

Hope? Well… it seems as if I am already getting traces of a heart. Or maybe it's just the Caretaker rubbing off on me.

"So far, you've been using dummies stuffed with straw as targets," the Caretaker replied. "Today, you'll finally get to fight some Heartless."

With those words, pools of darkness colored black and dark purple appeared on the ground. They reminded me of the shape of galaxies. From those portals, five creatures the likes of which I have never seen crawled towards me. They seemed like black four-legged ants with yellow dots for eyes.

Am I supposed to be impressed? I conveyed these thoughts to the Caretaker.

"Don't be fooled," the Caretaker warned. "The Heartless are more powerful than you thi-"

The Heartless knocked me to the ground before she could finish her sentence. They didn't pierce my skin thanks to my _hierro_, but it was only a matter of time before they drew blood… and worse.

I used Sonido to appear five feet behind them. Summoning my Keyblade to my hand, I leapt towards the nearest Heartless. They seemed quite surprised at my speed. Good. Let's keep it that way.

I swung the Keyblade at the nearest Heartless's head. It connected, and it disappeared in a poof of shadowy smoke. The other Heartless leaped at me, their claws outstretched. Drawing my sword with my free hand, I used it to block the remaining four Heartless. Pushing them off, I charged a Cero in my sword hand, firing it at two of the Heartless. Once they were smoke, I ran at the Heartless. This isn't proving to be much of a fight. I'll try something new.

Instead of hitting the Heartless, I jumped over them, flipping over in the air as I did so. The moment I landed, I pointed the Keyblade at them and started gathering light. Once I had gathered enough, I released a beam of pure light, slicing through the Heartless like I went through Ichigo's Hollow mask.

It hadn't even taken me five minutes to take care of these Heartless. Turning towards the Caretaker, I asked, "Is that all?"

The Caretaker had a look of surprise on her face. "You summoned a beam of light," she whispered. "Only a Keyblade Master can do something that complicated."

"No wonder this Xehanort was able to destroy the Keyblade Order," I replied. "All of them were weaklings… they were trash."

The Caretaker went from surprise to fury in an instant. "Never speak ill of the Keyblade Masters again," she ordered. "They may not have been as strong as you, but they were better beings than you are."

I hate when someone thinks that they're better than me. Especially if it's a human. I was about to use Resurrección when I caught myself. _Remember what you're here for_, I told myself in my head.

"May I get started now?" I asked. "I'm tired of all this training."

The Caretaker placed a hand on her chin. I learned after a while that this is what she does when she's in thought. "I think you are ready. I'll open a portal."

Snapping her fingers, an oval-shaped, white portal appeared. "What should I know about this world?" I asked.

"The people of this world are tasked with taking care of and embodying holidays. You're going to end up in the town that's in charge of Halloween."

**Ulquiorra in Halloween Town! I can't wait for you guys to see what I have planned. Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3: Three's a Party

**I wanted to wait until Halloween to post this, but I just couldn't wait. Hope you enjoy!**

What is that term the humans use for these situations? Ah, yes – oh, shit.

I was standing in front of a black iron gate, with a sign next to it that read "_Halloween Town_". It wasn't just a stupid name – this town really did look like Halloween originated here, with mummies walking about, vampires talking freely, and an abnormally tall, well-dressed skeleton walking about friendly as can be.

That wasn't what worried me. It was myself. I was in my Resurrección Segunda Etapa. This was quite distressing for two reasons: One, I hadn't even released it. Two, my chance at gaining a heart was gone.

_Fear not, Ulquiorra_, a feminine voice whispered in my head. It was the Caretaker! How was she doing this?

I relayed this to her. She replied, _One of my powers is telepathy. I can communicate with anyone in any world. Now, about your current form. You aren't truly in your final form – you've only taken on its appearance. Your powers associated with this form are still locked away._

It was true – my spiritual pressure was still at level as though I hadn't released my sword at all. _How is such a thing possible?_

_It's the magic of this world, _she replied. _It turns people into the figure that people see when they're scared of you. In this case, it's your final form._

_Alright. I understand now. Anything else you neglected to mention?_ I asked monotonely.

_Only one thing. You won't be traveling alone. I'm sending you two others._

Before I could ask what or who, two white portals similar to the one that brought me here appeared behind me. Turning to face them, I saw two figures that I never thought I would see again.

"_Grimmjow?_" I asked. "_Starrk?_"

They hadn't changed at all since I last saw them. Grimmjow was still in his Espada uniform, a scar across his chest and his unruly blue hair uncovered by any hat. Starrk was in his release state, which still impresses me to this day. He's actually the most effective Espada at long-range attacks. His two handheld guns were actually Lillynette, the little girl who always followed him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, not expecting this at all, yet still not able to feel a damn thing.

"Teh, I'm here to get stronger," Grimmjow replied. "Fighting enemies that come from the darkness in people's hearts? I can't wait to fight a Heartless that came from someone truly evil!" He cracked his knuckles as he said this.

Starrk looked up at the moon, actually looking… hopeful. That wasn't something I'd seen in all the time we lived in Hueco Mundo. "The Caretaker promised that I'd find people as strong as us if I helped you," he replied. "So of course I agreed to help you."

I don't like being in situations where I can't do anything to improve my position. This is one of those situations. Starrk is more powerful than me; he could probably fight me to a standstill if he were to take it seriously. Turning towards the gate, I said, "Come along, then. You'll probably be useful."

I could tell that Grimmjow wanted to kill me very badly, but he also didn't want to lose his chance at getting stronger. Starrk just followed step. Huh – this may be better than I thought. Knocking on one of the bars, I asked, "Could someone let us in? Hopefully sometime in the next year?"

A short, pudgy man in a comically tall top hat ran to the side of the gate and started cranking the handle. "Of course! My apologies," he said as the gate retracted like a garage door from the human world. "Welcome to Oogie Town!"

"Are you blind, old man?" Grimmjow snapped. "The sign says Halloween Town!"

"Oh, that old thing," the man apologized. "Lord Oogie Boogie kept that sign as a reminder of the past. We gave everything we had to the humans, and they never even thanked us! Not once! So now, we keep Halloween to ourselves. Our Lord is working on doing the rest with the other holidays as we speak."

The man walked off. I noticed on the back of his suit jacket, it said _Former Mayor_ on it. Without turning to my companions, I said, "Something is wrong here."

"Gee, ya think?!" Grimmjow snapped. "I thought that everything was moonshine and blood around here!"

"The Caretaker told me that these people were in charge of Halloween," Starrk said, bringing one of the guns to his shoulder. "I'm getting the feeling that someone did something drastic here."

"I've come to much the same conclusion," I agreed. "Although, I have a feeling of what it might be."

"What is it?" Grimmjow asked.

My Keyblade appeared in my hands. "The Hogyoku," I replied. "Did the Caretaker tell you about its true power?"

"Yeah," Starrk replied. "You think this Oogie Boogie has it?"

"After what that man told us, I can't think of a more plausible answer," I said, walking towards the skeleton. "Let's see if we can correct the situation."

The skeleton noticed that I was approaching. "Hi there! I don't believe we've met. I'm Jack. Jack Skellington."

"Ulquiorra Schiffer," I replied curtly. "These are my companions, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and Coyote Starrk."

"Hello, friends!" He said joyfully, waving his arms at the scene around him. "You just came in while we were making preparations for our big day!"

"Halloween. We know," Starrk interrupted. "We actually want to talk to your boss. Where is he?"

"Lord Oogie Boogie?" Jack asked. "You can't miss him! He's just beyond the pumpkin patch, less than two hours away from here."

"Thank you," I replied. I walked off, noting the surprised expressions on Grimmjow's and Starrk's faces.

"You actually thanked someone?" Grimmjow asked incredulously. "Just what the hell got into you, Ulquiorra?"

I then did something that surprised even me. I smiled. Not a ridiculous grin like Grimmjow's, but a small, contented one. "I'm learning what it means to have a heart."

**Ulquiorra smiled! I'm so happy for him. Stay tuned for the epic fight with Oogie Boogie!**


	4. Chapter 4: Oogie's Surprise

**Hope you all had a good Halloween! Ulquiorra didn't get any candy; instead, he got two Espadas for companions and his first legitimate smile. Anyways, on with the show!**

The Search for a Heart chapter 4 – Oogie's surprise

We had been walking for quite a ways. Not because we weren't in a hurry, but because Starrk had ended his Resurrección, letting Lillynette become a little girl once more. She insisted on stopping and looking at every little thing, from jack o lanterns that moved to talking to the occasional ghost. Nothing would deter her. Grimmjow's threats were ignored, as were Starrk's reprimands. Even my imposing form, seeing as I appeared as if I was using Resurrección Segunda Etapa, had no effect on her.

Turning towards Starrk while she was marveling at a curious hill that seemed to spiral in on itself, Grimmjow asked, "Why the hell did you end your Resurrección state? We could have gotten to this Oogie Boogie guy a long time ago!"

"If this Oogie Boogie has the Hogyoku," Starrk replied, as calm as I ever was, "then we'll all need to be at full strength if we want any chance at beating him."

That caused silence to fall on us once more. Even Lillynette followed step, walking with us quietly.

I wasn't surprised when Grimmjow broke the silence. "That's something I don't get. If this guy has the Hogyoku, then why are we still here?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, those people seemed to follow Oogie Boogie like Kaname Tosen followed Aizen," Grimmjow replied. "It doesn't take a genius to guess that someone reported us to Oogie Boogie."

"I see what you mean," Starrk replied. "If this Oogie Boogie person was paranoid enough to warp a whole town to worship him like a god, then we should be scattered into spirit particles by now."

Even I didn't have an answer for that.

* * *

We eventually came to what we were looking for. It was a castle constructed of wood and bone. Purple roofing jabbed into the sky like a sword. What was most disturbing was that the front gate was open.

"It looks like you were partially right, Grimmjow," I said. "Someone did tell Oogie Boogie about us."

We walked in, our weapons at the ready. There was no lighting except for one at the end. It illuminated a single door, with the initials _O.B._ painted in green on it. By unspoken consent, we all barged into through the door.

Whoever constructed this room was crazier than the Octavo Espada. A ridiculously big and extravagant throne was in the back of the room. In front of us, a host of skeletons that looked rather cubic were playing various casino games. Skeletons in red ties dealt playing cards at a speed that almost made it look like they were using Sonido. The sound of dice rolling across floors filled the room like a waterfall. Some skeletons were even playing Russian Roulette, using a mixture of guns and knives.

On the throne sat the strange sack creature I saw on my first day with the Caretaker. This time, though, he was wearing a crown decorated with emeralds and rubies. A purple cape was barely visible, seeing as he was sitting on most of it. He regarded us through eyes that would be better described as empty holes. Literally – he had no eyes.

With a clap of his tentacle hands, all activity in the room ceased. Getting up, he said, "Who are these losers? Don't they know they have to get permission from the O-man to be in my presence?"

"Are you Oogie Boogie?" I asked, ready to summon my Keyblade.

"I am," the giant sack replied. "And who are you supposed to be? A goth boy with a fetish for bats?"

Before I could lose my composure, Starrk stepped up. "We're not here to fight you, pal. We're here for the Hogyoku. Hand it over and no one gets hurt."

"The weird glass box?" Oogie Boogie replied. "Sorry boys, but I can't hand it over. Unless, you're willing to play a game."

"What game?" Grimmjow asked, his suspicion evident in his tone.

"A fight!" Oogie Boogie replied. At this, all the skeletons ran out of the room. They were all trampling over each other in order to get out quickly. These skeletons looked… scared. Oogie Boogie continued, "Before I… uh… put away my magic box, it gave me a little surprise. The best fighter I've ever seen! Beat him, and the box is all yours."

Oogie Boogie snapped his fingers. Any other day, that would have had me asking how that was possible. Right now, though, we have bigger problems as a giant figure dropped from the ceiling. As he stood up, we all got a shock.

"_Yammy?_" We all asked at once.

It truly was the Diez Espada. He seemed… different, though. His eyes were now black with red dots. Black smoke rose off of him like steam. In place of his Hollow hole, he had the symbol of the Heartless.

"Dammit – he's a Heartless!" I swore, bringing my Keyblade to bear. At the same time, we all used our Resurrección, filling the room with our power. I still looked like I was in my final state, but my power was only at level as if I had released my first state. Oogie Boogie felt the jump in power, because he fell over and had a hard time getting up.

Yammy, on the other hand, looked like he didn't feel a damn thing. He looked at me with his new eyes. "Ulquiorra…" he hissed, his voice not human or Hollow.

"I'll have your hearts!" Yammy yelled, lunging for us. We all threw ourselves in different directions, crashing into card tables and sending cards flying. Grimmjow was the first to recover – he appeared in front of Yammy and slashed three times at his chest, then delivered a kick that sent him flying. Grimmjow turned to us, a smirk on his face.

Yammy appeared behind him, grabbing him and lifting him up into the air. Charging a _bala_ in his hands, Yammy threw Grimmjow into the air while firing the _bala _at the same time. Grimmjow would be badly injured from that, so it was down to me and Starrk.

We rushed Yammy together. I used my wings to fly above him, freeing Starrk to fire a series of ceros at our Heartless opponent. It definitely hurt Yammy – he started howling in pain and proceeded to charge a cero in his mouth. I used my Keyblade to disrupt it, jamming it into his mouth while firing my own cero at point blank range. Yammy fell over, stunned but not defeated. Gesturing to Starrk, we both used Sonido to appear where Grimmjow had landed. He was just getting back up.

"We need to take care of Yammy now," Starrk stated. "If he's this tough now, I don't want to think about what will happen if he uses his Resurrección."

"I think I have an idea," I said, "but it'll be quite risky."

"Let's do it," Grimmjow groaned. "We're dead anyway, right?"

He had a point. I explained my plan to them, both of them wide eyed. Something like this had never been attempted before by any Espada in known history. Despite that, they took their positions.

The moment Yammy got up, I launched myself at him. I started hammering him with both the Keyblade and my first state release version of my Lanza Del Relampago attack. I couldn't see Grimmjow or Starrk, but I heard them start their attacks. I heard the slight spurt of blood, followed by Grimmjow shouting, "Gran Rey Cero!" At the same time, I heard Starrk twirling his guns and shouting, "Cero Metralleta Oscuras!"

I had milliseconds before their attacks reached me. I shouted, "Aerozaga!" This is what made Starrk and Grimmjow wide-eyed; no Espada in history had ever attempted to use magic. Just to make sure, I focused all my spiritual energy into my _hierro_, making it the hardest it ever was.

Yammy never stood a chance. He didn't even have time to scream as the two powerful attacks tore him apart. Blue and black-green ceros raged around me as they hammered against my defenses. It ended up being too much, and I blacked out.

* * *

When I awoke, it was to find Lillynette bouncing on my chest. My Keyblade was gone, presumably having gone back to wherever it came from until I needed it. Starrk was looking over the throne, while Grimmjow had his sword against Oogie Boogie's throat. Getting up, I walked over to Grimmjow.

"What happened?" I asked, my tone friendly for once.

"After you blacked out, Starrk and I stopped Oogie Boogie from fleeing. He refused to talk, so I volunteered to watch Oogie Boogie while Starrk searched the room for the Hogyoku."

"I think I can make him talk," I said. Time to channel the old me.

Grimmjow lifted his sword as I bent down to Oogie Boogie. "From the moment I saw you," I began, "I wondered how a being like you can exist. I think I finally figured it out."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Oogie Boogie huffed. Even a dimwit like Wonderweiss could tell that he was lying.

"You're stitched up," I commented, my voice once again becoming monotone. "A being with the power of the Hogyoku wouldn't need stitches – he could make it as though the wounds never existed. Therefore, I think these stitches are what's keeping you together. You're nothing but a glorified rag doll."

I grabbed one of the stitches on his arm, making sure he could see what I was doing. "Here's what going to happen," I said. "I'm going to pull out your stitching, and continue to do so until you tell us where the Hogyoku is."

"You're lying," Oogie Boogie said in a shaky voice. "You wouldn't do that. You're a Keyblade Wielder. You're all softies."

With a yank, I pulled out the stitching on his arm. It unraveled like one of those party favors the humans use, revealing a mass of mugs where the muscles and skeleton would be. They started crawling away, with Grimmjow and Lillynette comically stomping on them like their lives depended on it.

"Do you think I'm kidding now?" I asked. My hand moved towards the other arm. "I wonder how you're going to play Liar's Dice with no arms?"

"Alright, alright!" Oogie Boogie screamed, absolutely terrified. "I don't have that Hog-thingie! It's gone!"

"What do you mean, 'gone'?" Stark asked, walking over to us.

"It flew off!" Oogie Boogie said, rambling as he went on. "It flew off just I was about to make some mantis smoothies appear! It said I didn't deserve it, that I was weak! Can you imagine? Me, weak? It created that Yammy thing saying it needed to cover its tracks! Or at least give it time to find a new master! That's all I know, I swear!"

"So, this 'Hogyoku' has the power to grant its master anything they desire?" a new voice asked. This man sounded like he was the long lost brother of Aizen – mysterious, a powerful leader, and a masterful manipulator. "It seems we are in luck."

Turning around, we saw the speaker. It was a man in a black cloak, covering his body completely. Chains and zippers covered the outfit, but instead of coming off as hastily put together, it seemed well made. Black gloves covered his hands. The hood was pulled back, allowing us to see his face. His hair was a dusty silver, ending just below the shoulders. Orange eyes regarded us with little to no emotion, as if he was an actor trying to remember how to be human. This man looked like he would have been very comfortable as a politician.

"For helping us, Organization XIII, to achieve our goals, you have the thanks of Xemnas," the figure replied, bowing low. "We will have hearts once more."

"What do you mean?" Starrk asked. "Are you all Hollows?"

The man closed his eyes and started chuckling softly, like his children had done something adorable. "We are hollow, in a sense," he replied. "However, we differ from those like you in that we are not souls. We are what's left when our original selves become Heartless. We are… Nobodies."

A portal appeared behind him. It was similar to the ones that brought us to this world, but instead of being all white, this portal was black with a purple center. "Enjoy your existence, while you can," Xemnas said in that soft-spoken yet commanding voice. "Once we have hearts, we shall rain misery down on those who take theirs for granted."

The moment he was gone, Grimmjow and Lillynette spoke up at the same time. "I don't like him."

"That guy is definitely hiding something," Starrk said. "What could it be?"

"We'll worry about it later," I replied. Everyone turned towards me in confusion. I elaborated, saying, "Have you forgotten why we were sent here in the first place? Our job is to fix this world. If we go after that 'Xemnas' character, how will we be any better than him? Or Aizen?"

Starrk started smiling. Walking up to me, he clapped me on the shoulder. "It's good to know that some things never change," he said. "You still remember what comes first, Ulquiorra."

"How are we going to fix this place, though?" Grimmjow asked. "The Hogyoku's gone, and Oogie Boogie ran off while that Xemnas guy was ranting. I'd say we have a snake's eye gamble at this point."

Grimmjow was right on two fronts. Oogie Boogie had indeed run off, presumably to some safe house he had constructed. Truly, though, how would we fix this world? Fixing the damage caused by a wish-granting object is no easy task.

Today seems to be "Surprise Ulquiorra" day. My Keyblade appeared in my hands, pointing at a spot on the floor. As a circle of light appeared around the tip, an emblem of light in the shape of a keyhole started to form on the ground. In a flash, I was in an unknown space, surrounded by clouds painted in sunset colors.

The keyhole was above me by several meters. From the keyhole, a masculine voice asked, "Who are you, Wielder of the Keyblade?"

"My name is Ulquiorra Schiffer," I replied. For some reason, I felt the need to bow before this keyhole and whatever it contained. Getting down on one knee, I continued, "I have been sent here by the being known as the Caretaker. This world has been altered, manipulated to serve a madman's needs and wants by way of an object called the Hogyoku. My companions and I have been charged with repairing the damage caused by this wish-granting object."

"The Caretaker?" The voice mused. "So, she is active after all this time… very well, Ulquiorra Schiffer. I believe your story. There is a way to repair the damage caused by this 'Hogyoku'. Listen to me very carefully…"

* * *

Grimmjow and Starrk were wrecking apart the spot where Ulquiorra had vanished, hoping to find some evidence or trace of where he had gone. Lillynette tried distracting herself by building a pyramid of cards, but it was obvious she was fighting back tears.

In the same manner that Ulquiorra disappeared, he reappeared. The Keyblade was in hands for a moment more, before it vanished in a flash of light. Running towards him, everyone started asking questions.

"Where the hell…"

"What happened…"

"Did you…"

"_Enough_," Ulquiorra stated, his volume causing them all to be silent. Returning to his normal voice, he said, "Please, not all at once. Even I'm not completely sure what happened."

"What are you sure of, though?" Grimmjow asked.

"This world is back to normal," Ulquiorra replied.

"How can you be sure?" Starrk asked.

Before Ulquiorra could reply, the door they first came in burst open. Out ran Jack Skellington and a few other citizens of Halloween Town. "Alright, Oogie, it's time to pay for…" Jack stopped short when he saw Ulquiorra and the others standing there.

"What happened?" asked a feminine voice behind Jack. It was a rag doll that came up to Jack's chin, wearing a simple but elegant dress that was made up of patches of cloth.

"It looks like Ulquiorra and his friends happened," Jack replied. Addressing them directly, he asked, "What did you do?"

"We stopped Oogie Boogie and fixed the Town," Ulquiorra replied. "All with the help of my friends here and this," he added, making his Keyblade appear.

Jack studied it, as if he had seen it before. "That looks so familiar," he muttered. Shaking his head, he said, "Thank you for saving us, Ulquiorra. Halloween would've ended without you."

Ulquiorra stared down at his feet. Even after all that he had learned and gained after getting a Keyblade, he was still uncomfortable with being thanked. Eventually, he said, "I'm not the one you should thank. Thank your hearts, for being able to remain true to yourselves even with Oogie Boogie's tampering."

Three white portals appeared, one for each Espada. Grimmjow, Starrk, and Lillynette wasted no time in walking through them. Ulquiorra was about to walk through his when the rag doll asked, "Wait! Will we see you again?"

Ulquiorra turned, delivering the second smile he ever had in his Hollow life. "Every day. You need only look in your hearts."

**The plot deepens! The Hogyoku is on the move, and Organization XIII is aware of its existence! Hope you guys enjoyed this new chapter. Please review! Any and all are welcome!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Nightmares of Hollows

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the long update. Two things were happening – Assassin's Creed 3 and the prospect of my first serious relationship. I'll try to update sooner, but my lady comes first ;) !**

Chapter 5 – The Nightmares of Hollows

By the time I had returned to The Caretaker's world, Grimmjow, Starrk, and Lillynette had already left. Almost unconsciously, I checked my body to see if I was still in my final release state. Thankfully, I had returned to my original form, which in this case was what I looked like when I was an Espada.

The Caretaker was watching the Eyes of the Kingdom, her eyes flicking from one mirror to the next. Without even glancing at me, she said, "Well done, Ulquiorra. I watched your progress the whole time. I think you would have even given Sora a run for his money."

This has been bugging me for a long time. "Caretaker," I began, choosing my words carefully, "just who is this Sora you keep talking about? Did he wield a Keyblade as well?"

The Caretaker did turn to me. For the first time since we've met two months ago, she looked… sad. "Well, I suppose you've earned the right to know," she said.

"Sora was a boy from a world called Destiny Islands. He acted a lot like the Orihime you knew – trusting to the point of being naive, easily made happy, and eager to make friends. His two friends, Riku and Kairi, made a raft with him to sail beyond their island."

"That's when the Heartless happened. They kidnapped Kairi, turned Riku towards the forces of darkness, and plunged Destiny Islands into darkness. Throughout all this, Sora found a way to wield the Keyblade."

"Waking up on another world, he gradually gained more knowledge about the Keyblade and the rules concerning the other worlds. He gradually set off to those worlds to find his friends alongside some help from King Mickey's court. Do you remember me telling you about them?"

"I do," I replied. "King Mickey is one of the strongest Keyblade wielders to ever have existed. His friends who make up the royal court are no less impressive."

"Very good," the Caretaker praised. "Sora continued traveling other worlds, fighting the Heartless and the people who controlled them. He eventually stopped the most powerful Heartless of all – Xehanort's Heartless."

"I couldn't help noticing that you refer to Sora in the past tense," I noted. "What happened to him?"

"Organization XIII happened," she said with disgust laced into her voice. "First they stripped Sora of his memories in a place called Castle Oblivion. Then they placed him into a deep slumber. Sora's friends suffered the same fate."

She looked at one mirror in particular on the Eyes of the Kingdom. This one, unlike all the other ones, stayed blank. It showed nothing except a gray color similar to fog. "Sora was – is – powerful, because he received his strength the way that I intended the other wielders to. He gained it through experience and through the experiences of the heart."

I could tell, without a doubt, that the Caretaker was telling me the truth. However, I could tell that she was holding something back. What was it?

However, I had no desire to repeat the argument we had before I left for Halloween Town. Instead, I bowed and said, "Thank you for trusting me with this. Do you wish Grimmjow and the others to know?"

"No," the Caretaker replied immediately. "Word of Sora going to sleep cannot be allowed to spread. It would empower the villains he stopped to try again. And while I have no doubt in your abilities, Ulquiorra, I doubt you can be everywhere at once."

"I understand," I said. "I'll take my leave now, if you don't mind."

"Of course," she replied offhandedly. She walked back to the Eyes of the Kingdom and proceeded to scan the screens. She was searching for something, but for what? Well, I can't worry about it now. I'm going to rest.

* * *

_I was in my final form, only this time I had access to my powers associated with this form as well. I was charging at Ichigo Kurosaki, who was in his fully Hollowfied form. Bringing my Lanza Del Relampago attack to bear, I was about to run him through at full speed. Instead, he disappeared using Sonido and reappeared in front of me, grabbing my blade in his free hand._

"_You really think you can do it, don't you, Ulquiorra?" He asked. Clenching his hand, he shattered my Lanza. "You think you can simply get a heart? After everything you've done?"_

_I backed away from him. That's when I noticed the Hollow hole on Kurosaki's body seal up and the black lines on his body shift. Soon, he had the symbol of the Heartless in place of a Hollow hole. "What I did wasn't because I wanted to," I said desperately. This… thing before me is one of the few creatures that actually scares me. "I was only following orders."_

_Kurosaki laughed, taking off his Hollow mask. He looked normal, except he still retained his long hair and his Hollow eyes. "That's not an excuse, and you know it. I could kill you right now, but I have something better in mind for you."_

_His hair whipped towards me, growing black as they got closer. Soon I was wrapped in a cocoon of hair, which was rapidly becoming one of darkness. Kurosaki made a move as if to head-butt me, but stopped millimeters in front of my face._

"_I'm going to turn you into a Heartless, Ulquiorra Schiffer," he whispered. "You'll invade worlds with others like you, stealing hearts and making them into more of us, Hollows and Nobodies and Heartless. You'll be the same thing you were when you served Aizen, the same thing I am – a monster."_

"_No… NNNOOOOO!" I screamed. I continued screaming until the darkness covered my head._

* * *

I woke up in a cold sweat. Thank Spirit King that it was only a dream. Just to check, I fumbled my hands over my chest until I found my Hollow hole. I'm not a Heartless.

Looking around my room, I couldn't shake what Kurosaki told me in my dreams. The truth of the matter is, he's right. My actions, though I believed they were just at the time, caused harm to a great many people. Kurosaki only knew of the pain that I caused Orihime and his other friends. What he didn't know is that I've been hurting people for far longer than that. For seven hundred years, I've devoured countless spirits and humans, all for the matter of power and superiority.

I was so lost in my thoughts, my eyes didn't even process my room. It was very simple, with a drawer that contained various uniforms, a mirror in the shape of triangle, and one window. Anybody would have complained (I bet half my spiritual pressure that Grimmjow threw a fit), but I really needed very little. My room in Aizen's fortress contained less than this.

Getting up, I walked towards the window. Was Ichigo right? Was it really impossible to get a heart? Of course it isn't, I scolded myself. The question is, do I deserve one?

A knock on the door made me jump a bit. Who would be knocking at this time of night? Getting up, I walked over and opened the door.

Lillynette was there, dressed in loose fitting pajamas. I wonder if the Caretaker knows she hates the color pink? I don't think so, because Lillynette's pajamas were colored an overwhelming pink. What stood out to me, though, was that she was crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my racing through a bunch of possibilities. Was it Starrk? If so, the Caretaker needs to be alerted immediately. Was it the Heartless?

"I had a nightmare," she sobbed.

The idea was so mundane, I mentally slapped myself for not thinking of it. "Then talk to Starrk," I replied, perhaps a bit too sharply. "He's bound to you, after all."

"He's asleep," Lillynette sobbed. "No one else is awake. Even the Caretaker turned in."

I was very tempted to order her to go away. Why should I concern myself with her nightmares? Just as my hand was about to push on the door, though, I remembered something from Halloween Town. When I thanked Jack Skellington, a most unusual feeling coursed through my body. It was strange, to say the least, and certainly not something I had felt during my entire existence as a Hollow. I felt a weight in my chest, right where the heart should be. I didn't feel the need to remove it – rather, I welcomed the weight, like I knew it would define my being alive. With that weight, I felt the need to do something… emotional. That's why I smiled. Right now, I was feeling that weight once again. It was telling me to help Lillynette.

"Come on in," I said. I had Lillynette sit on the bed while I pulled up a chair. Looking her in the eyes, I asked, "What was your nightmare about?" Damn. Shouldn't have asked that – the last thing Lillynette wants right now is to relive that nightmare.

Lillynette stopped sobbing by taking a few steady breathes. "Do you remember when Aizen told us about the Thirteen Court Guard Companies?" She asked.

How could I forget? Aizen lectured us on every Company until we knew when they would be using the restroom. I was especially interested in Sixth Company and their captain, Byakuya Kuchiki. He sounded like he was the most powerful Soul Reaper after Head Captain Yamamoto, and I was eager to test my abilities against him. No, eager is the wrong word for that situation – I was convinced that he was one of the few Soul Reapers who weren't trash.

"Of course," I replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well," Lillynette began, "when Aizen took me and Starrk to the World of the Living, we ended up fighting the Captain of Eighth Company, Shunsui Kyoraku. He ended up killing us."

The Caretaker brought back Lillynette and Starrk from the dead? Just how powerful is she?

"In my nightmare, Starrk and I were fighting that Captain. That's when things… Kyoraku tore off the part of his uniform covering his chest. Ulquiorra, he had a Heartless symbol."

Now she had my attention. This was sounding a lot like my own nightmare.

"He… he separated me and Starrk. He plunged his fist into my Hollow hole, and I… I…" she broke into tears again, covering her face with her hands.

I'm not sure who was more surprised by my next action – me, or Lillynette. I got up, and I wrapped my arms around her in a hug. I didn't tell her that everything was going to be alright, that nightmares stopped once you woke up. I just held her, stroking her head. Sometimes, silence is a better cure than any amount of words can ever be.

"I was turned into a Heartless," Lillynette whispered. "You don't know what it's like, Ulquiorra. Only one thought was running through my head – collect more hearts. Do you know what it feels like? To be a monster whose only goal, whose only purpose, in life is to hurt others?"

"Yes. I do."

Lillynette looked up at me, surprised. I continued, saying, "Even before I met Lord Aizen, I was different from the other Hollows. For some reason, when I became a Hollow, I lost the ability to feel any emotion. I couldn't get angry. I couldn't cry. Smiling was an impossible task. Perhaps worst of all, I didn't feel the need to regain the emotions I lost."

I looked into the distance, my mind flashing back to every act I committed before getting my Keyblade. "I killed people and ate their souls. Perhaps that's not so different from any other Hollow. Starrk and Grimmjow certainly did that. However, I did it without any moral code. I did things that even would have made that crazy Octavo Espada horrified. And now, I'm left with those memories. Perhaps it's a good thing that I lost my emotions – I don't think I would have been able to live with myself I did."

I turned to Lillynette, my gaze holding an equal mix of hope and determination. "If there's one thing I'm certain of, though, it's this. If a monster like me can wield a weapon meant for those with pure hearts…" I summoned my Keyblade to my hand to emphasize my point, "then redemption is possible for anyone. You are not the monster from your nightmare, Lillynette, any more than I am the same man I was when I was trying to become a Vasto Lorde."

I must have made Lillynette feel better, because she threw her arms around me in a bear hug. "You're right, Ulquiorra!" she beamed. "I'm a new woman! Time for me to decide my own destiny!"

She bounced towards the door. Right before she was about to leave, she turned back to me. "Before I forget – thank you, Ulquiorra!" She then closed the door, leaving me alone once again.

This time, though, I didn't feel nearly as bad. I turned over my words in my head. _If a monster like me can wield a weapon meant for those with pure hearts, then redemption is possible for anyone_. While I was saying that, I couldn't control what I was saying. Was it a lie I fabricated, just to make Lillynette feel better? Or was it my heart, trying to tell me and Lillynette a simple truth? I think – no, I believe – that the latter is what happened.

"You're wrong, Ichigo Kurosaki," I said out loud. "I am not who I was all those centuries ago. I am a new man, ready to defend the forces of light and every innocent being. Not because I was ordered to, but because my heart desires it." Satisfied, I went back to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6: Branching Paths

**Sorry for the wait! I've had a rough past couple of weeks. However, now everything is better. On with the show!**

Search for a Heart Ch. 6 – Branching Paths

"Wake the hell up!" Grimmjow shouted through my door. "The Caretaker wants to talk to all of us!"

With a sigh, I got out of bed. Half a minute later saw me in my uniform and answering the door. This uniform resembled my original Espada uniform, only it was colored silver and lined with black. Opening the door, I said, "There. Now can we go see the Caretaker before I have to listen to any more of your yelling?"

Grimmjow started to reach for his sword, but he caught himself. Instead, he grunted and said, "About time you got up. I thought I would have to knock down the door and use a Cero to wake you up."

"What makes you think that you could have knocked down the door?" I asked.

Grimmjow started smiling with more than a bit of pride. "Follow me," he replied.

Turning around, Grimmjow started walking down the hallway. This isn't the way to the main room. Where's he taking me?

We eventually came upon a room that had its door blown off its hinges. Literally – the hinges were still attached to the doorframe, while the door itself was a pile of splinters on the opposite wall.

"I left my keys in my room," Grimmjow explained. "So I had to use one hell of a Cero in order to get in."

My jaw was hanging open in astonishment. "You… you…"

"Impressive, huh? I heard this thing housed a couple hundred Heartless no problem. Guess I still –"

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" I screamed.

I spun on Grimmjow, who was definitely surprised by my outburst. "Do you have any idea what you've done?! I almost had a fight with the Caretaker just for saying something that made her upset! What do you think she's going to do when she sees that you've destroyed one of her rooms?!"

"I didn't destroy the room!" Grimmjow snapped. "I only destroyed the door!"

"You're missing the point! She's going to kill you when she sees what you've done!"

"When _who_ sees what who's done?" A feminine voice asked.

One look at Grimmjow and I knew we were thinking the same thing – _Oh, crap_. Slowly turning to see the source of the voice, we saw the Caretaker leaning against the wall a few feet away from us. She was smiling like nothing was wrong. It wasn't forced, either – she looked to be in a genuinely good mood.

"I was looking for you two," the Caretaker told us. "Starrk and Lillynette were fighting, so I had to come fetch you two myself. Now come. We have a very distressing matter ahead of us."

As we followed the Caretaker towards the main room, she added, "Oh, and Grimmjow? You'll pay for the door you destroyed by making one yourself."

Grimmjow was grumbling the whole way to the main room. Once we got there, we saw Starrk was sitting on the ground, nursing several bruises and a black eye. Lillynette was several yards away with barely a scratch on her. The smile on her face told us the whole story.

"So who won?" the Caretaker asked.

"Who do you think?" Lillynette puffed up her chest in pride. "I beat him with one arm behind my back!"

As the Caretaker and Lillynette struck up a conversation, Grimmjow and I huddled around Starrk. "Why did you let her beat you?" I whispered.

"I wasn't in the mood," Starrk replied, wincing in pain as he tried to open his black eye.

"You loser!" Grimmjow hissed. "You let her win because you 'weren't in the mood'?"

"Cut me some slack, guys," Starrk held his hands up, gesturing for space. "The Caretaker woke us up before I could get my full amount of sleep."

"And how much do you need?" I asked.

"Fifteen hours, give or take two hours."

Everyone heard that. We were also gaping at him in astonishment. Well, I merely widened my eyes in disbelief, but still.

Shaking her head, the Caretaker clapped twice to get our attention. "The reason I have called you all here," she said, "is that things are becoming more serious."

"In the time that we slept, the Hogyoku has already visited three worlds. Thankfully, the changes made there were minor seeing as it didn't have any true masters on those worlds. However, that isn't what's concerning. Organization XIII has sent one member to each world in order to track down the Hogyoku."

"Therefore, I'm sending each of you to a different world. Starrk and Lillynette, you shall be going to the Hawaiin Islands. Grimmjow, you're going to China. Ulquiorra, you're going to La Cite des Cloches."

"Any questions?"

None of us said anything. Finally, Grimmjow spoke up. "What do we do if we find the Hogyoku?"

"Destroy it. By any means necessary."

**Hoh boy! I can't wait to write the next few chapters. Until next time, viva Templar!**


	7. ALERT! READER HELP NEEDED!

**I'm in a bit of a quagmire, guys. I don't know where to go with this. To be more specific, I don't know whether to start with Grimmjow, Starrk, or Ulquiorra for the next chapter. So I'm leaving it in your guys' hands! Send a review saying which member of the trio you want to see first, and the character with the most reviews will come first! As a treat for staying with me, here's a sneak preview of something big that I have planned! (Quick note – this is from Ulquiorra's perspective.)**

(Theme – "Crystallize" by Lindsey Stirling)

_The rain doesn't seem to be stopping. However, rain never bothered me._

_I am in a city, quite unlike those back from my world. This place is… dark, almost malevolent. It's almost as if the Heartless constructed this city themselves. In fact, I saw a couple Heartless that seemed to be the big brothers of Shadows. They tried following me, but all it took was a quick boost in my spiritual pressure to make them back off._

_I entered an open space, right in front of a giant skyscraper. The top seemed to be covered in those giant TV screens the humans have. At the top, I could barely make out a figure. I tried getting closer, and got a shock when I recognized the figure._

_It was a member of Organization XIII. He was shorter than most of the other members, though I couldn't get an exact measurement standing on the ground as I was._

_Impossible – he's wielding two Keyblades!_


	8. Chapter 7: Seaside Coyote

**The votes are in, and the winner is… Starrk and Lillynette, in a landslide victory! Thanks to you guys, they will actually have multiple chapters! Enjoy!**

**And by the way, DragonMaster 197, I think I will take you up on your offer on Keyblade names. I still haven't come up with a name for Ulquiorra's Keyblade!**

Chapter Seven – Seaside Coyote

Ugh… doing this is a major pain. Don't really have much of a choice, though. The Caretaker will kill me otherwise.

Name's Coyote Starrk. I used to be the Primera Espada, the second most powerful Espada in Aizen's army. My partner Lillynette and I were part of the team that attacked the fake Karakura Town. It didn't exactly work out – everyone with us died, including ourselves. That's when the Caretaker happened. She brought us back to life and told us that if we helped her, we would find people that wouldn't die just by standing near us. We jumped at the opportunity.

Now, I have no idea where the hell we are. The Caretaker said that Lillynette and I were being sent to a world called Hawaiian Islands, but she sure as hell didn't tell us to expect this. We were on a beach, with Lillynette stuck upside down in the sand. This place was the textbook definition of where the humans would go on what they would call a "vacation". Right now, I have to say that this would be the perfect time for a nap.

That was when Lillynette kicked me. Ok, now she's just pissing me off! I grabbed her left leg and pulled her out of the sand. "What the hell was that for, Lillynette?!"

"You took too long getting me out!" Lillynette snapped, folding her arms over her chest. "What if I died of suffocation?"

"That wouldn't have happened, you brat!" I yelled. Why does she have to be so annoying all the time?!

We didn't get any more time to argue. Some Heartless appeared around us. Some looked like pirates with wings, while the others… how the hell can a cannon be alive?!

One of the cannon-like Heartless fired on us, which amounted to a red ball of metal raging towards us. This is going to be easy. I simply stood up and took the full force of the cannonball. My hierro's strong enough that it can withstand most attacks, with a few exceptions. In the ensuing smoke, I used Sonido to appear behind the Heartless and let my spiritual pressure run wild. What followed was so familiar a sight; I could close my eyes and still picture what was happening in perfect detail. The Heartless started to crumble and fall apart, as if gravity itself was made of boulders and swords.

As various hearts flew off into the sky, I sighed and turned to Lillynette. "I'm going to sleep, Lillynette. Wake me up in a few hours."

Surprisingly, she actually let me lie down. I guess miracles are possible. The sand was warm against what skin what showing out of my uniform. Sleep found me in no time at all.

* * *

"_Why are you here, Starrk?" Halibel asked me as I ran into her room and locked the door._

"_Lillynette is trying to get me to go on a mission to the World of the Living, when all I want to do is sleep. I need someplace to hide. Which reminds me…" I dashed up to her and covered her mouthpiece of a mask. "She might be listening through the door."_

_I guess Halibel wasn't amused. She slammed her foot down on mine, making me let go of her. "Ow!" I yelled, holding my foot as I jumped around. "What the hell was that for?!"_

"_I guess you were never taught any manners while you were alive, because you sure didn't learn any as a Hollow," Halibel replied, her spiritual pressure rising just the tiniest bit. It was still enough to know that I crossed a line. "You don't grab a lady out of nowhere, Starrk."_

"_I'm sorry," I said, holding my hands up the way I had seen some humans do when they were being searched by police. "I'll leave now."_

_I started walking towards the door. Hey, I may hate it when Lillynette beats me up, but I'll take three hours of that over making Halibel mad. Just as I was about to touch the door handle, Halibel spoke._

"_Starrk." She didn't sound mad, but rather… curious. I was the same way when I turned back to her. "Yeah?" I replied._

"_There's something I don't get. If you hate Lillynette interrupting your naps so much, why don't you use some of your power? At the very least, you can intimidate her."_

_I took in a deep breath. I brought this up very rarely, but I was glad that someone asked. It wasn't exactly a burden, but it was still nice to share my beliefs with someone._

"_You're right – I could force her to stop if I wanted to. However, she's literally a part of me. A long time ago, back during our first days as a Vasto Lorde, I split our soul in two. I don't even remember what we looked like before we became two."_

"_So you don't harm her because you're afraid that you might hurt yourself?"_

"_I couldn't care less about what happens to me," I snapped. I didn't mean to be so harsh, but stuff like that pisses me off. "I don't hurt her because I don't want to scar her for life. It can be easy to forget, especially seeing as we're all Hollows, but Lillynette's still just a kid. I'm not going to fall into the abusive father stereotype just to get some peace and quiet. Plus… I'm the only friend she has in this place. Who else would she turn to if I were to suddenly turn into a world-class jerk?"_

_I expected her to draw her zankaku-to and slice me to ribbons. What I didn't expect was that neither of us moved. After a couple a couple awkward moments of silence, I coughed and asked, "So, does that answer your question?"_

_Halibel nodded her head. "Yes, it does. And I apologize."_

_Huh? "Apologize for what?"_

"_For misjudging you. When I first met you, I thought you were a lazy fool who didn't care about anyone other than himself. I still think you're a fool, but maybe not as bad as when I first met you." Even though I couldn't see her mouth, I knew she was smiling as she finished._

"_Uh, thanks… I think."_

"_Of course. Are you still going to hide from Lillynette?"_

"_Nah. I'm starting to think that a mission to the World of the Living might not be such a bad idea."_

* * *

I was woken up in the fifth rudest way possible. That damn Lillynette ran right across my stomach! Getting up, I looked around for her. I found her a few feet away from me, talking with a little girl who was just under Lillynette's age (if you went by her looks). That girl had black hair that went right to her waist, and all she was wearing was a red dress and sandals. The dress had white leaves all over it.

"Why the heck did you use me as a doormat, Lillynette?!" I snapped, keeping the swearing to a minimum in respect to her friend.

"Sorry, sir, but she didn't run over you," the little girl replied. Her voice made me think that she was the walking definition of 'sweet little girl'. "Stitch did."

I was about to ask who this Stitch was when the answer landed in my lap and snarled in my face. Even in my time as an Espada, I've never seen something like this. The creature was the girl's height, and covered in blue fur. Clawed hands gripped my shoulders in a grip much stronger than someone his size should have. His ears were comical – they belonged on one cartoon bats human children love to obsess over during Halloween.

Stitch released his grip on one of my shoulders and drew that arm back. At first, I thought he was going to punch me. Then he started to flex his fingers and gurgled an alien "Hi."

No way. After snarling at me and running over my stomach like a bulldozer, this thing is trying to be friendly! "H-Hi…" I muttered, waving weakly. Stitch gave me a ridiculously big smile, giving me a nice show of all his pointy teeth. "See, Lilo?" He said to the girl. "Stitch good!"

"Good boy, Stitch!" Lilo praised. Stitch came right up to her, sitting by her side like an obedient dog. She then looked up at me apologetically. "Sorry, mister. Stitch isn't normally like this. He swiped Nani's coffee earlier today, and it takes a while for the caffeine to wear off."

"Nah, it's ok Lilo," I told her. "I was just getting up. Lillynette, how long have I been out for?"

"Two hours, Starrk," she told me. "We should get going and find the Hogyoku."

"Can we help?" Lilo asked, her eyes big. Stitch tried to do adorable puppy dog eyes. He pulled it off like a professional.

I walked up to Lilo and ruffled her hair. "It's not that we don't want your help, Lilo," I told her. "But what we're looking for… it can be very dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands. We can't risk getting you hurt."

"Funny," Lilo muttered. "That's what the little glass box told me."

Lillynette and I looked at each other, our eyes wide. Lilo and Stitch have come into contact with the Hogyoku? If so, we need to keep an eye on her.

"I take back what I said," I said. "We'll need your help, Lilo. Yours too, Stitch."

"Yay!" Lilo cheered. "You can help the man Nani met yesterday!"

This just keeps getting better and better.

* * *

Lilo and Stitch took us to her house. It was very plain wooden house, two stories tall and painted red and white. Still, it looked fairly cozy. Stitch ran up to the door and flew through the doggy door. Lilo and the rest of us ran up to the steps in an effort to keep up with Stitch.

"Lilo, you said that a man came to help," I said in between gasps of breath. "What did you mean?"

Before Lilo could answer, the door opened. It was a woman, who I could only assume was Lilo's older sister Nani. She was holding Stitch in her arms, who didn't seem all that happy to be picked up.

"Lilo, I told you not to go off on your own!" Nani scolded. Then she noticed me and Lillynette. Her tone rapidly became sweet. "Hi there. Can I help you?"

"Actually, yes," I replied. "My name is Mr. Starrk, and this is my daughter, Lillynette. We're new to the area, and Lilo told us that you would be the perfect tour guide. We're willing to pay any price you want. However…" I thumbed over my shoulder in Lillynette's direction. "She and Lilo have grown really close. Is it possible to stay here for a day or two? We'll pay for that on top of the tour."

Mentally, I was kicking myself. Wonderweiss could have come up with a better excuse than that, and the guy's a damn mute! However, Nani's eyes lit up like a cero-powered lantern. "Absolutely! Lillynette can share a room with Lilo, and you can share the room with the man from Special Services!"

I wasn't about to question our good fortune. If having a roommate meant keeping our cover intact, I was more than willing to suck up to the guy. We walked into the house, Nani kept talking about all the places she thought we should see. I just sat down on the couch, ready to take a nap.

"Hey Nani, do we have guests?" A male voice asked from upstairs. He sounded like the mercenary who would star in his own movie – cocky, arrogant, and ready to pull the trigger and let bullets fly. I turned to the stairs to see who it was, and got the biggest shock of my life. I had to use every bit of willpower I had not to pull out my zanpakuto.

I didn't recognize the face, but the black coat told me everything I needed to know. He was a member of Organization XIII. His right eye was covered with an eye patch, while his left eye glared at me while remaining surprised.

"Ah, I see you've met your roommate!" Nani sounded delighted. "Mr. Starrk, say hello to Mr. Xigbar."

**Surprised? Man, writing this chapter was so much fun! Until next time!**


	9. In Memory

**Ulquiorra, Orihime, Ichigo, Grimmjow, Starrk, and Lillynette are all standing at the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge. Another man is with them. He is wearing a grey jacket with the word "Tapout" written in black across the chest and jeans. In his hands is a bouquet of flowers.**

**Orihime is close to tears, as is the man in the jacket. Lillynette is already crying, holding onto Starrk as he hugs her back with a pained look on his face. Holding out his hand, the man in the jacket lets the bouquet fall into the water. "Let's go, guys," he says.**

"**Right behind you, InfiniteBurn," Ichigo says, slipping his hand into Orihime's. They all leave.**

**This is dedicated to the people of Boston, in light of the recent attacks. Our hearts are with you. May you all find your families safely and stay safe.**


End file.
